Latinos now a quarter of Sonoma County's population

MARTIN ESPINOZA

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT | March 8, 2011

Perez, who hails from the Mexican state of Hidalgo, said it could result in more businesses catering to fellow Spanish-speaking immigrants or more governmental support and recognition of the Latino community.

"It could help," he said while waiting for a haircut with his 2-year-old, American-born son Alexander at Bella's Beauty Salon in Santa Rosa.

But Jessica Garcia Leos, 24, a Healdsburg native and Santa Rosa resident whose maternal grandparents legally immigrated to the United States from Mexico more than 45 years ago, said her family members were concerned about economic fallout from the trend.

Garcia said she's heard her grandfather complain "there's so many people coming from Mexico and there's no jobs."